Quesnel: Moral Reflections on the Gospels Vol 1

130 ST. MATTHEW.
" 11. And when the Pharisees saw it, they said
unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with
publicans and sinners ?"
The pretenders to devotion are envious and jealous
of the care which any one takes of sinners. A good
Christian must expect to see his best actions inter-
preted ill and condemned. Such a one follows the
impulse of humility and charity, without regarding
the discourses of the world. Envy is cowardly and
timorous, and not daring to apply itself directly to
the Master who could confound it, it endeavours to
surprise the disciples, and to take advantage of their
weakness.
" 12. But when Jesus heard that, he said unto
them, They that be whole need not a physician, but
they that are sick."
Jesus Christ comes to the assistance of the weak
when they are attacked on his account. Here are
four necessary instructions:— 1. That Jesus is the
sovereign Physician of souls. 2. That all stand in
need oF him. 3. That we must acknowledge our
own diseases, and the need we have of Christ, if we
desire to be healed by him. 4. That it is the
greatest of all our maladies to think ourselves whole,
this being in effect to renounce Jesus Christ. It
belongs to thee, O Lord, both to make us sensible
of our diseases and wants, and to oblige us to have
recourse to thyself.
" 13. But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I
will have mercy, and not sacrifice : for I am not come
to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."
Nothing is more conducive to the instruction and
humihation of pretenders to devotion and true Pha-